but I just started cutting out the base pieces of the costume from the fashion fabric. Originally the base was going to be Satin with a crepe back but my girlfriend just bought a yard when I needed 4 yards and we can't find it again... SO I decided to use that one yard as lining for the jacket and now we are using the same color just as a crepe only.

I already know the base fits her because I made the patterns out of muslin since I didn't trust some of the out of package patterns, which I was glad I did. The outfit requires a lot of top-stitching/Embroidery (which I haven't done before) and wondered if it was better to decorate the base patterns first and then construct or construct first then embroider?

Another question I have is that I have 2 yards of Fosshape coming in the mail to give the side panels on the dress some shape. I wanted to use it as a sew-in interface, however I know that it shrinks. The gold that I have is just satin without a backing. So I was wondering if I should steam it first into shape and then sew into it or if I should have the back sewn into it, then steam it, then sew the front onto it?

What would be embroidery ? I don't see anything on the reference sheet that looks like embroidery. You can do it before or after, but right now I'm questioning if embroidery is the best way to go - but maybe there's a picture that explains it ?

I agree, I'm not actually sure what you're trying to embroider and if applique would be a better direction to go.

As a general rule, though, I'd embroider after if I was hand-embroidering but embroider first if I was machine-embroidering; for the simple reason that a complete costume is harder to put into an embroidery machine than a single piece.

It also would depend if the embroidery goes over multiple pieces, as it appears that the costume is made up of many pieces...

One thing I would like to point out: you said "top-stitching/embroidery" for the details on the costume. Just to be really clear, topstitching and embroidery are two COMPLETELY different things. There isn't anything in this artwork to suggest topstitching as a decorative technique.

Now, if you're talking about the gold contrast designs...while that COULD be done as embroidery, I would not suggest it unless you have a computerized embroidery machine and significant experience using it. Also, some of those gold areas are so large that I can think of more reasons NOT to use embroidery at all.

Since you said you don't have a lot of experience, I second the suggestion of doing applique. You can also look into bound edging and fabric painting. Some of the thinner lines could be done as satin-stitching if you really want a bit of a raised look and the thread texture.

Ah.. I think I meant Applique. I thought they were just about the same thing. The book I picked up is called Applique Innovations: Machine Techniques for Beautiful clothing. However, where the white X's are are where the more detailed designs that I can't applique because it's just too small to cut. If I'm able to get that far with the dress, I was going to see what my job might be able to help with. (Silkscreen and embroidery shop)

I guess I got a bit confused because the book called for using embroidery thread and needles.

So yes. I was planning on cutting out fabric to the designs then set the machine to a tight zigzag with a gold metallic thread to fasten it onto the dress. The book calls for interfacing behind motifs but I don't think this is a motif per-say.

I wasn't sure if in general people would applique this before constructing or just do it after.

lol thank you. atm, I'm tracing the gold design onto the satin fabric and trying to measure the bottom bias since it's not an even line lol... I don't really see an exact tutorial for my oddball bias, but I think I can improvise...

Would you know, I just went to Walmart to buy a small rotary blade, and the safety got stuck with the blade out as soon as I opened it. Fail. So much for saving myself a trip...

I have appliqued fabric onto garment edges. Using heat fusible webbing (wonder under, heat 'n bond are brand names) makes the whole process a million bazillion times easier. Yes, you can get light weight heat fusible stuff to use with satin.

What I did was cut the garment layer as it's supposed to be, then I cut the applique layer to my design on the fancy design (top) edge, then the bottom where the design was to meet the hem, I cut it slightly longer. Do the applique, then hem (or in my case it was a lined edge, so it was a lovely edge). This way if your fabric shifts at all in the applique process you have wiggle room on the hemmed edge.

Well luckily I had bought some Fusible interfacing that's 1 1/2 inches x 15 yards that I was planing to use for cuffs and the belt. I was going to use fabric glue stick to temporarily adhere the fabric design cut outs to the fabric base. Is this not enough and I should have had fusible interfacing cut out with the designs??

also, yeah I have cut my fabric longer past the base fabric since I want to have as seamless of continued design as possible since it continues to the back.

With the level of detail you will be adding in slippery satin fabrics: yes, you want full coverage fusing. fabric glue sticks are fine for quilting cottons and little bitty shapes (I'm assuming your book is a quilting specific book) but on this scale and the fact that it's a shaped garment you need full coverage. Not desire, need.

At first I picked up the wrong fusion: getting fabric instead of paper. It was fine for the middle design on the shoulders, but it was a disaster for the upper one. Had to do an exchange for the paper.

The other unfortunate thing was that I had cut out pieces already for the front of the shirt. So I had to pin and cut around them on the fusible paper. Needless to say I had a LOT of fringing, not to mention a hard time trying to get the fabric to wrap around the edges. Completely confused and realized that I couldn't try to do a bias around it the hard way.

Not to mention , I cut the light blue to the edge of the original pattern, not the modified one, so I'll probably have to just use the original shape on the outside edge. (It's not a big deal because that's covered by the jacket and has no sleeves.)
I tried to clean it up the best I could with satin stitching. I seriously should have gotten a satin stitch foot. A certain someone has been complaining that there are some space inconsistencies, but I think it's from me trying to make sure the machine doesn't get caught from being at 0 spacing.

This is the back. Obviously I'm getting the hang of it now. I also started this one properly, fusing an entire sheet of fabric then tracing with a trace wheel without the wax paper and cutting with an applique rotary blade.

So now I'm faced with the problem of how to go about decorating pieces I had already started constructing before I knew I should decorate first. What's even trickier about them are their shapes which I wasn't sure in the first place a bias would work well.

front and back jacket pieces

front and back tails of the skirt.

Any idea? I have only about 3 weeks to put it together, so I don't think taking them apart is really an option...

You can seam rip it 10 times faster with a razor blade but I HIGHLY suggest practicing it first, or use a regular seam ripper and get someone to help you so you can take them apart faster. It will be annoying but it sounds like you would be happier and your life would be easier if the pieces weren't together before you do all of the decorating.